Beefeater 24

If you’re in the UK you’ll have been enjoying the unusually early appearance of the sun in our April skies, which of course means that barbecues have been fired up in record numbers over the past week or so. It seems to me that my drinking habits change the moment the sun starts shining and, without even thinking about it, I turn to white spirits and crisp refreshing summer cocktails to keep me cool.

By nature, I admit, I am a dark spirit drinker. My love of bourbon and aged rums is well documented, and I’m occasionally partial to a drop of cognac, Scotch or even Irish whiskey too, but suddenly I seem to be ordering gin drinks! Suddenly my lime intake has increased and my tequila and white rums are disappearing at an alarming rate. It seems a few rays of sun are all it has taken to remind me of my summer cocktail favourites.

The ‘drinks cart’ at bitters & twisted is not left wanting, but Beefeater 24 does not feature among its (respectable) selection of gins, and as such, I found myself heading for Soho, needing to compare 24 to Beefeater. So a short tube ride later I am in LAB, sat at the bar with James, who by now is buffing a couple of tasting glasses for me.